Rivalry time: Utes coming to Spectrum
Utah State Men’s basketball will bring a six game winning streak into tonight’s game against there in-state rivals University of Utah. Utah comes into the game with a 3-3 record. The Ute’s have won three in a row. The Aggies will be seeking revenge from last year’s game in which Utah won 67-66 in Salt Lake City. In that game Jaycee Carroll had a jump shot at the buzzer to win the game but his last second attempt rimmed out.
“I’ve thought about it a few times recently, and just thought about how that game went”, Carroll said.
“We don’t want to be in that position again, we want to have a ten point lead with no time on the clock”, he said
According to Aggie senior Durrall Peterson in order for the Aggies to stand a chance against the Ute’s they will have to stop the big guys down low and also contain the Ute’s perimeter players.
“We gotta get better at doubling the post, and making sure that the post players don’t kill us and containing the penetration because they have got a bunch of guards that penetrate well”, he said.
Utah comes into the game on a three game win streak after opening the season with three straight losses. One reason the Ute’s have been successful as of late is because of there three point shooting. As a team they are shooting 45 percent from beyond the arc.
Head coach Stew Morrill believes the Ute’s are getting good looks at three because of there great inside game. As teams have been trying to shut down the post it is opening up good looks for the guards from the outside.
“If you double your going to give something up. You’re not always going to get there in your recovery out of a double team, and potentially give up three point looks to Shaun Green who’s shooting 68 percent from three, or (Johnnie) Bryant who’s shooting somewhere in the 50’s”, Morrill said
“So they present a lot of challenges with their size and shooting ability and they’re playing much better than they did early”, he said.
Utah is led by sophomore center Luke Nevill who is averaging 18.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, while junior guard Johnnie Bryant is averaging 16.2 points and 2.8 assists per game. With four returning starters the Ute’s are averaging 51 percent shooting from the field.
Utah State is 6-1 on the season after defeating Idaho State at home on Saturday night. Jaycee Carroll leads the team in scoring at 22.7 points a game to go along with 5.6 rebounds. Carroll is shooting 60 percent from field including 46 percent from beyond the arc.
Utah State has won four out of the last six against the University of Utah and eight out of the last nine against in-state rivals. Jaycee Carroll says that team is always excited to play against teams form within the state and says that it is a good chance for the State of Utah to see which team is the best.
“We take a lot of pride with in-state games knowing that the state of Utah watches this game close and are interested to see how the different universities stack up as far as basketball”, he said.
Carroll also feels the Aggies prepare better for in-state games and that is one of the reasons for there recent success against in-state teams.
“We come in with a little more excitement usually, a little more concentration, there’s just a different feeling when we get ready for an in state game”, he said.
Peterson takes a different approach to in-state games and says that it is important to prepare the same for every team that you face.
“It isn’t any different; we take every game the same. You don’t want to prepare no different for nobody, we make sure nobody thinks there better than anybody else and just prepare the same all the way through”, Peterson said.
Peterson does recognize that Utah is a good team and that it will be a very big game.
“It’s a big game always, anytime you play a good team it’s always a big game”, he said.
Jaycee Carroll, like any good player was not hesitant on whether or not he would take another shot to win the game if he has a chance.
“If we do get a last shot to win it, were going to make it this time”, he said.